DFMSeptember2015
19
READER PROFILE
SHAUN
MILLER
GRAHAM ORAMS
Shaun’s family
moved to a tea
plantation in Malawi,
Africa, when he was a baby
but when he turned nine he
returned to Belfast to attend
boarding school.
Shaun said Christmas time
was wonderful, leaving behind
the freezing temperatures of
Northern Ireland, to enjoy
summer in Africa.
Fast forward to 2000 and
Shaun arrived in Australia on
a working holiday visa but
something changed his
temporary plans.
He met Lisa—an
Army officer.
In 2004, Lisa was posted
to Tasmania where their
growing family spent about
six years before moving to
Brisbane.
“We went down to
Tasmania with one child and
came back up with five,”
Shaun said.
Shaun said being
married to a military
member presented some
challenges.
He said their daughter
Lily was going into grade
three at the time of their
Tasmania posting but had to
repeat grade two due to the
different school systems.
Also, within a month
of arriving, Shaun was about
to start a new job when Lisa
got news she was being
sent back to Canungra in
Queensland for eight weeks.
Shaun Miller’s
CHILDHOOD WAS
AN EXOTIC
MIXTURE of TWO
EXTREMES—
Northern Ireland and
south-east Africa.
“(This) put a lot of pressure
back on to me, but you just get
on with it and do the best with
what you have,” he said.
“Lisa helps out a lot when
she’s at home—so it all
balances out.”
Shaun is an architect and
currently runs his business
from home so he can care for
his young family.
“I have to be very
disciplined between the
hours of nine and three and
getasmuchdoneasIcanof
my own work.
“Ifindifyoutrytomixthe
two, it really doesn’t work;
you end up becoming more
frustrated and not doing a
good job of either parenting or
your work.”n
Shaun Miller works from
home so he can look after
the kids. Photo by Leading
Aircraftman Brenton
Kwaterski.